After the recent heatwave, it’s hardly surprising that sales in soft top cars are beginning to escalate. We Brits love nothing better than the chance to enjoy a bit of warmth on our sun-starved faces, and what better way to do it than to step inside a cabriolet.

The appeal of a convertible is quite obvious, drop the top of a car and you are immediately exposed to sights, smells and sounds of the open road that you have not yet experienced. Choose a fancy soft top and you will most certainly draw attention from onlookers too.

Britons buy more convertible cars that most other European countries, despite the fact that we are usually not guaranteed the weather to go with them. However, the truth is that convertible cars are actually “better suited to a milder climate rather than hot, arid conditions where you can keep much cooler and less sunburnt in an air-conditioned hardtop,” reckons Steve Ashdown of Convertible Car Magazine.

Certainly, for the majority of Brits, the cabriolet car is yet another way to feed a sun-starved generation of motorists. And with roofs becoming more sophisticated by the year to include folding hardtops and electronically powered hoods, convertible cars have become far less of a compromise when considering a new car.

In fact, the very latest convertible cars offer roofs which are completely watertight and contain good insulation as well as sound deadening which makes them appealing to those seeking a year-round car with added perks. Since the introduction of a fixed roof 20 years ago, the sales of soft tops has surged, but our increasingly disappointing summers ensure that sales never get too carried away.

If you are considering purchasing a topless car, do not be under the illusion that it will cost you the earth to get one. There are plenty of new and used convertible cars which are available at affordable prices and are suitable for family life as well as business executives and singles.

Some of the most popular and affordable convertible cars currently available on the market include the Mazda MX5, the Volkswagen Eos which is based on the Mk5 Golf and the newest and highly desirable Fiat 500C. Or, if you have more cash to splash, the Porsche Boxster or the BMW Z4 provide some fabulous alternatives.